SUPPORT THE PATIENTS RIGHTS COUNCILLatest additions to web site: 2/10/17.. Site Map ..

2017 Doctor-Prescribed Suicide Bills Proposed Note: New Mexico is also considering giving non-physicians the power to prescribe lethal drugs for suicide.

New Mexico The New Mexico End of Life Options Act (HB 171) would permit a non-physician to diagnose a patient with a broadly defined terminal illness. It would permit that non-physician to prescribe drugs for the patients suicide on the same day as the diagnosis. Text of HB 171 Analysis of HB 171 More on New Mexico

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Scroll down for other Recent Developments, and for Featured Articles. For additional information, see Site Map.

The Latest PRC Update (2016 Volume 30, No. 5):

Who will speak for you? Imagine you are in an accident tomorrow and so seriously injured that you arent able to communicate about your health care wishes for several weeks. Who would make health care decisions for you during that time? Do you need an advance directive?

To obtain a durable power of attorney for health care for the state in which you are a resident, call the Patients Rights Council (800-958-5678 or 740-282-3810) between 8:30am and 4:30pm (eastern time).

Recent Major Developments

House To Take First Step Towards Blocking D.C. Assisted Suicide Bill(WAMU February 7, 2017) A U.S. House committee will take the first step on Monday evening towards blocking a D.C. bill that legalizes assisted suicide..{T]he bill was sent to Congress for the 30-day review required under the D.C. Home Rule Act, which gives Congress the right to override the Districts elected representatives. Text of House Joint Resolution 27 More on D.C.

Doctor who made an 80-year-old dementia patients family hold her down while he gave her a lethal euthanasia injection acted in good faith, rules Dutch review panel(Daily Mail February 2, 2017) As the doctor went to administer the injection the woman tried to fight him off. the doctor then ordered the womans family to hold her down to give the drugs. More on Holland

AG, OKeefe seek dismissal of right-to-die case(Cape Cod Times January 10, 2017) A push by two Cape physicians for the right to use medical assistance in dying doesnt belong in the courts, according to Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. The law firm representing the two physicians worked with Boston-based legal firm Morgan Lewis to help Denver-based Compassion & Choices file the suit. More on Massachusetts

DC mayor signs assisted suicide bill(Washington Examiner December 20, 2016) District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law Tuesday a bill that would make assisted suicide legal in the district, if it gets through Congress. It is not clear if Congress will approve the legislation. It has blocked D.C. legislation before, most recently the citys recreational marijuana law. Under the Constitution, Congress has to sign off on all D.C. Laws.Note: The DC bill was originally Docket No. B21-38. It is now titled D.C. Act 21-577. More on District of Columbia.

Mexico City legalizes right to euthanasia(Global Times January 6, 2017) Mexico City has become the first entity within Mexico to legalize euthanasia, after the issue was approved Wednesday by the citys constitutional assembly The right to euthanasia will be enshrined in Article 11 of Mexico Citys new constitution, which will come into force in 2018. In January 2016, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a law, allowing Mexico City to have its own local constitution.

A measure to permit doctor-prescribed suicide in South Dakota could appear on the states 2018 ballot if sufficient signatures of registered voters are collected by November 2017.More on South Dakota

Governor Kasich Signs Bill Making Assisted Suicide a Felony(WMFD December 20, 2016) Governor Kasich signed House Bill 470, making assisted suicide a third degree felony in Ohio, punishable by up to five years in prison. The bill strengthens Ohios protections against assisted suicide, which previously only permitted a court to issue an injunction against anyone helping people to kill themselves.

California Tests Electronic Database For End-of-Life Wishes(Kaiser Health News December 7, 2016) A coalition of emergency and social service providers is working to create an electronic registry for POLST forms in California. California has been using them for nearly 20 years. Filling out the forms is voluntary, but once they are completed and signed, they must be followed, and providers have immunity from criminal prosecution or civil liability when they do so in good faith. (Emphasis added.) More on POLST

Dutch euthanasia law is used to kill alcoholic, 41, who decided death was the only way to escape his problems(Daily Mail December 6, 2016) Mark Langedijk joked and drank before GP administered injections. Dutch euthanasia practice killed more than 5,500 people last year. Dutch law now includes those enduring social isolation and loneliness. More on Holland

Healthcare groups urge repeal of death panel'(Modern Health Care December 1, 2016) The Independent Payment Advisory Board [IPAB] was created by the Affordable Care Act. It is actually mean to make cuts to Medicare in the case that spending growth exceeds projections The 16 member board has never been appointed. The law stipulates that if the board is not appointed, the HHS Secretary would then be charged with making the cuts. The cuts could then only be overridden by a supermajority of Congress. More on Obamacare

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Featured Articles

Physician-assisted suicide is too risky(Albuquerque Journal November 30, 2016) By providing cheap and early deaths, insurance companies can save millions of dollars each year. The elderly, the poor, and minorities are also prone to abuse, especially if younger family members view them as a financial burden instead of an honored elder. The dying person is guilted into their duty to die. More on New Mexico

Everyone should have the right to assisted suicide or no one should (VOX November 21, 2016) Equal rights means equal suicide protection.Are you healthy? Do you think that your health makes your life more valuable that a terminally ill persons? Do you think that his life should get less protection from suicidal desires? If so, the disability rights movement has a bumper sticker for you: I support the right to die. You go first. More on Disability Perspective

A Bad Recipe for D.C. (November 2016) Ingredients and directions for doctor-prescribed suicide. More on District of ColumbiaDoctor-assisted suicide? Neutrality is not an option(Orlando Sentinel November 13, 2016) A medical ethicist says its cowardly to be neutral about doctor-assisted suicide. And as for medical societies if those organizations make even a passing effort to set ethical standards and codes for the medical profession, then they should not tell society that they are neutral on physician-assisted suicide.

Elderly Hospital Patients Arrive Sick, Often Leave Disabled (Kaiser Health News- August 9, 2016) Hospital staff often fail to feed older patients properly, get them out of bed enough or control their pain adequately. More on Medicare

Automatic sign-ups for Medicare Advantage coverage surprise seniors (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review August 1, 2016) Only days after Judy Hanttula came home from the hospital after surgery in November, her doctors office called with bad news: Records showed that instead of traditional Medicare, she had a private Medicare Advantage plan, and her doctor and hospital were not in its network. Neither the plan nor Medicare now would cover her medical costs. More on Medicare

Do patients pay when they leave against medical advice? Patients who are leaving the hospital against medical advice are often told by hospital staff that doing so will leave them liable for the entire bill because insurance will not pay if they leave against medical advice. As described in a study, that is a myth, a medical urban legend, and one which is widespread.

Brain scans reveal hidden consciousness in patients(AP Central Ohio, The Source May 26, 2016) A standard brain scanning technique is showing promise for helping doctors distinguish between patients in a vegetative state and those with hidden signs of consciousness.The researchers checked the patient status again a year later. They found that 8 of the 11 vegetative patients who had scored above the cutoff, which had been associated with minimal consciousness, had in fact recovered consciousness.

Cancer breakthrough: Duke clinical trial destroys SC womans brain tumor(WNCN television CBS May 16, 2016) The FDA is calling a clinical trial that killed a cancerous brain tumor (Stage 4 Glioblastoma) a medical breakthrough. Stephanie Lipscomb, now a nurse has now been cancer free for 4 years and considers herself cured. Dozens of patients responded positively to the trial and because of the success with Stephanie, the FDA has deemed the trial a medical breakthrough. [Note: This was the same type of cancer that Brittany Maynard had.]

Where the prescription for autism can be death (Washington Post February 24, 2016) Thus did a man in his 30s whose only diagnosis was autism become one of 110 people to be euthanized for mental disorders in the Netherlands between 2011 and 2014. Thats the rough equivalent of 2,000 people in the United States. More on Holland

The sole survivor: Fort Lee woman beats the deadliest form of brain cancer(NorthJersey.com December 13, 2015) Nearly a decade after learning she had only three months to live, Sandy Hillburn grabbed a taxi last Sunday to LaGuardia Airport for one of her regular business trips to North Carolina.

Previously Featured ArticlesAlso see site map to access specific topics which include previously featured articles.

Have you heard about VSED? It stands for voluntarily stopping eating and drinking. VSED is being promoted by assisted-suicide activists who are also working to force health care providers to participate in it. Important Questions & Answers about VSED

From the bookshelfTwenty-six years ago, Ann Humphry, the co-founder of the Hemlock Society (now called Compassion and Choices) committed suicide. Her death made headlines worldwide.

Prior to her death, Ann contacted Rita Marker, a staunch euthanasia opponent. Over time, the two became close friends, and Ann asked Rita to make public secrets about the right-to-die movement secrets that had weighed heavily on Ann.

Two years after Anns tragic death, the book, Deadly Compassion: The Death of Ann Humphry and the Truth About Euthanasia was published. It recounts Anns personal story, the founding of the Hemlock Society, and activities of euthanasia and doctor-prescribed suicide advocates. Thousands of copies of the book were sold in the United States, England, Canada and Australia. (Read excerpts from reviews of the book.)

Now, for the first time, you can read Deadly Compassion in its entirety on line in PDF format.

Read the rest here:

Patients Rights Council